“SciQ” hosts Andrew and Paula shiver through an episode all about ice and snow.

As many of us return to our regular work schedules this week, we were greeted with below-average temperatures. As the icy grip of winter nipped at the bright pink noses of my fellow commuters, I couldn’t help but think about those professionals who spend their entire career working in absolutely frigid conditions.

For years, researchers from the Smithsonian have traveled to the poles to study Arctic and Antarctic conditions.  Through the Smithsonian Scientific Diving Program they’ve even plunged into the glacial waters of Antarctica to discover the secrets of the unique life forms hidden beneath the icy surface.  That, my friends, is dedication.

Michael Lang is one of the dedicated divers who spends his work day under ice investigating the endemic life forms of the Antarctic region. How does he do it? Click here to watch a video of Michael describing the precautions one must take before taking the plunge. Once you break the ice and navigate the clear waters, you’re rewarded with a sea full of amazing and unique species.

There are plenty of individuals who brave the icy elements and Smithsonian Channel has the perfect winter lineup to celebrate (or escape from) amazing winter wonderlands. For a rare glimpse into the Southern Ocean, catch a ride on a research vessel in our new show Into the Frozen Abyss. With new advances in technology, scientists continue to brave the elements to probe deep into the icy ecosystem to discover new life forms.

If these Shackleton-esque individuals inspire you to bundle up and explore the frozen tundra of your own back yard, be sure to take a few winter survival tips from Survivorman Les Stroud. The Survivorman himself took the time to teach our adventurous SciQ hosts Paula and Andrew how to survive wintry conditions by building a snow shelter.

Movie magic helps pit an Olympic speed skater against a mammal born to travel on ice - the polar bear.

If science and exploration are not really your thing, how about a little pre-Olympic warm-up?  Animal Winter Games is an amazing video featuring Olympic gold medalists and nature’s toughest animals. Specially designed to survive icy conditions and freezing temperatures, animals like the Emperor Penguin, the polar bear and reindeer compete for Olympic gold.  Time to place your bets. In a race between an Olympic speed skater and a polar bear with great traction, who do you think will win?

Stay warm out there and be sure to let us know if you have any tips for surviving the coldest days of winter!

Are you looking for the perfect holiday gift for that museum loving friend or family member? Just in time for the holiday season, Stories From the Vaults: Season Two is now available on DVD.  Give the gift of discovery with the series that takes you beyond the public exhibitions and deep into the collections of the Smithsonian Institution.  Your friends will be impressed and in turn, might impress you with their newfound knowledge of flesh-eating beetles, endangered art and doughnut machines!

With over 136 million artifacts, many of the Smithsonian’s most interesting objects remain tucked away for safekeeping, waiting for their moment in the spotlight. Stories form the Vaults host Tom Cavanagh mines the “Nation’s Attic” to uncover some of these interesting artifacts and reveals some entertaining curators along the way. To find out just what it takes to keep up with our adventurous host while filming inside the Smithsonian vaults, we spoke with “the Vaults” Director of Photography Rob Lyall, who, after two seasons, has had quite a few adventures inside the world’s largest museum complex.

AN INTERVIEW WITH STORIES FROM THE VAULTS DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY- ROB LYALL

You never know where the job will take you. Rob Lyall shooting a scene from “Vaults”.

GB: How many Smithsonian museums did you visit while filming Stories from the Vault?

RL: We visited Smithsonian museums that I never knew existed. We filmed in a dental museum, a postal museum, a sculpture garden, a zoo, galleries, hangars, halls, labs, shops, kitchens, crates, restaurants, cockpits, cranes, elevators, an island in the Panama Canal, greenhouses and a castle. I’ve lost count.

GB: Is there a particular object or artifact that really intrigued or surprised you?

RL: I was completely blown away by my reaction to being in the presence of many of Ansel Adams’ original prints. I was aware of the difference between being in the presence of a painting versus a reproduction of the painting in a book or on a screen, but I was caught completely off guard by the profound impact of seeing the Adams prints firsthand. There is subtle detail present in the shadows and a finesse in the highlights that I never knew existed.

Many of the objects in the collection hold similar secrets.

GB: If you could take home any of the Smithsonian collections, which collection would you choose?

RL: When I was a kid, I wired the front door and the door to my attic room- known as the “Greg Brady Suite”- to a small box with lights and a buzzer. I took the family television set apart. I built a small AM radio transmitter, from which I repeatedly broadcast Foreigner 4, a 45 single of “Another One Bites The Dust” and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack-both LP’s. My station made it all the way from the Greg Brady Suite to the radio in the kitchen. My folks remained loyal listeners despite the fact that my weather reports were grossly inaccurate and I sounded like Peter Brady.

But, the electronics collection in the National Museum of American History reminded me of those radio tinkering days and of the possibilities. It’s a fabulous collection, and let’s be honest; who wouldn’t love a Van de Graaff generator in their living room?

Oh, and while we’re at it, I’d also like the entire record collection of the Smithsonian Folkways label on my iPod, Cello lessons on a Stradivarius from Ken Slowik at the National Museum of American History, and the SR-71 Blackbird fueled up and ready to fly on the taxiway outside the Udvar Hazy Center at Dulles.

Rob Lyall and Tom Cavanagh pulling the night shift at the Hirshhorn museum.

GB: Were there any particular challenges to filming in the vaults?

RL: The biggest challenge was bringing grips, lighting equipment, and cameras into a curator’s workspace while working in close proximity to priceless artifacts. In order to film the scenes in a visually compelling way, we needed to get over, inside, on top of, beneath and generally all around the objects- which can be nerve racking for anyone observing the process.

The curators are entrusted with the care and preservation of the objects we’re filming and they understand that the safety and preservation of the collection is our primary focus when we’re working in the museums. Our crew has been working around precious objects for decades, and with the exception of that one Edison light-bulb Tom dropped in the freight elevator, we’ve never lost a thing. Ok, it was a modern bulb our production assistant purchased at a drugstore, but it was a funny gag on camera.

The curators were gracious, warm and accommodating as we moved in and out of their areas, and we couldn’t have done it without their patience, trust and enthusiasm for the project.

GB: What was it like to work with the host, Tom Cavanagh?

Tom is a brilliant actor, witty, charming and generally all around great to work with. He has a wonderful comedic sense and we found it easy to keep our shooting style loose and free, which comes across in the show. Off camera, you couldn’t have asked for a better crew dynamic. Often times, the funny bits that ended up on camera grew from the fun we were all having behind the scenes and jokes that had been beaten well into the ground before the cameras rolled.

We were shooting a sequence about the Aldrich Ames spy case and decided to shoot add funny bit where Tom would inconspicuously amble up to a mailbox, look around, mark it with chalk (as Ames had done as a signal that a drop was ready to be picked up) and then scamper off. I was perched on a hill shooting through some tree branches for added effect and Tom scooted out into the street, darting back behind a signposts, saplings or parked cars - even playing possum in the middle of the crosswalk - as other cars or pedestrians passed occasionally… the least inconspicuous spy on the planet routine. One of the funniest physical comedy gags I’ve ever seen.

Sometimes I laughed so hard during a take, you can see some unintentional camera movement. But it’s great to laugh at work. We all had such a wonderful time on this series. Thanks Tom!

GB: You guys had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama. Was that your first trip to Panama? How would you describe the trip overall?

RL: I had filmed in Panama several times prior to our STRI shoot, though I had never had the opportunity to film on Barro Colarado Island, which sits in the south end of Gutan Lake.
Any work abroad poses challenges, but this particular trip was in the midst of our second season of shooting, so we were a well-oiled machine. It’s always exciting to work in a special place like STRI, and little magic moments seem to just appear frequently.

Tom had stepped in at the helm of a ferry on the canal for a shot. He turned to camera and said, “Drive a boat on the Panama Canal: check.” Other things on the checklist included opening a lock on the canal, flying through the treetops in a canopy crane , researching fiddler crabs, and sloth wrangling.

GB: You filmed sloths while you were in Panama. They seem to be pretty well camouflaged, were they a challenge to film?

RL: The challenging thing about filming wildlife is that your subject doesn’t seem to care about your requirements for getting the scene in the can. We were having dinner in the STRI cafeteria when someone came running in and shouted, “S L O T H !!!!!” So we ditched our trays and ran outside- literally steps away from the cafeteria. The sloth was about 80 feet off the forest floor, so we used a telephoto lens to get up close and personal with “Flash,” who frequented the forest canopy near the STRI buildings.

“Flash” the sloth, enjoying his moment in the spotlight.

It’s widely believed that sloth spend most of their time in the forest canopy, but little is actually known about their movement through the canopy and between the canopy and forest floor. The goal of the researchers was to capture Flash, attach a small GPS tracking device which would allow scientists to track his daily movements, then release him back into the canopy.

GB: Fill in the blank: Smithsonian is________________________!

RL: like a box of chocolates… with all due respect to Forrest Gump.

GB: If you were to donate a personal item to the Smithsonian collection, what would it be?

I think Tom would make a nice addition to the collection.

I’ll check with him, but I think he’d say he’d like to be hung up in a harness where the pendulum used to swing in the National Museum of Natural History, where he could illustrate the rotation of the earth while answering questions from passing kids and knock over the occasional tourist who wasn’t paying attention.

Watch clips from Season Two of Stories from the Vaults.

OR

Watch a FULL EPISODE from Seasone One.

On December 6th, in the midst of the holiday season, we’re premiering Aerial America: Hawaii. Just a heads up, this show will make you want to escape the holiday bustle and take an island adventure.

While we here on the mainland talk turkey, residents on the North Shore of Oahu gear up for surf season.  As we watch giant inflatable balloons navigating through city streets, local Hawaiians are watching the waves roll in for the winter season. And while the temperatures drop and we gather around the warm glow of the fireplace, the warm red glow of flowing lava warms the waters of the Big Island.

Since the 1920s Hollywood movies have enticed us with images of Hawaii’s serene, sandy beaches and the soothing sounds of slack-key guitar and rolling waves.  But during the filming of our show Aerial America: Hawaii, our HD cameras captured the wild and unpredictable nature of the islands, all from a spectacular bird’s eye view. The land of aloha isn’t all honeymoons and hula.

It took five days for the Aerial America film crew to fly over five of Hawaii’s islands and capture stunning images of a landscape steeped in culture and history. Where unbelievable waves carve into the side of dramatic volcanic cliffs and molten lava constantly changes the landscape, our helicopter hovered above with cameras rolling. Using the same rigging and camera as the groundbreaking series Plant Earth, the film crew brought back amazing images that reveal our Pacific neighbor’s most impressive features.

Smithsonian Channel Producer Greta Pittard joined the film crew over the Hawaiian Islands and captured many incredible images. While all of the scenery was breathtaking, her favorite sight from the sky was the island of Molokai.  “The cliffs are absolutely amazing. It seems to be the least inhabited, wildest looking island.” But choosing one island is just too difficult for Pittard, “Also, on Kauai, there is an area called the Na Pali Coast which is ridiculously beautiful.”
Have you been lucky enough to visit this Hawaiian Islands? Whether on the ground or in the air, we want to know your favorite Hawaiian sights.

Let the Wild and Wacky games begin! Image from America’s Wild and Wacky.

If there is one thing we’ve learned at Smithsonian Channel it’s that everyone has a story to tell. From moving stories to inspirational stories, to historical stories and even weird stories, we’ve covered them all. And yet the antics of the crafty and wildly entertaining individuals who plan one-of-a-kind festivals across the country, as featured in our series America’s Wild and Wacky, never cease to amaze.

The series highlights the annual festivals around the country that routinely draw a crowd and beckon you to hit the road for a good ol’ cross-country road trip.  Each state seems to top the next with its out of the ordinary events. Just when you think a West Virginia roadkill cook-off is the wackiest thing you’ve ever seen, it’s time for the Nederland, Colorado Coffin Race, where you just might find yourself in a heated race against Elvis. The Spamarama festival in Austin, Texas sounds like a truly unique experience and the creative folks that gather at the San Francisco, California Art Car Fest are just too wild to pass up.

Just how many more wacky celebrations can your fellow Americans dream up? Plenty! I could list them all, but I think I only need to mention one main event to grab your attention: The Mud Hole Belly Flop Competition at the Summer Redneck Games in Dublin, Georgia. Seriously, the show airs this month and you know you want to find out what that’s all about.

I’ve been to a fair share of Apple Festivals around my area, but after watching these shows I feel like I might be missing out. Leave a comment and let us know if your town has a wacky festival of its own. If you’ve been to one of the wild gatherings featured in America’s Wild and Wacky, you must share your experience. I would love to know how you judge one of these events!!

CLICK HERE to watch a full episode of America Wild and Wacky.

No, your eyes do not deceive you. That sign really says “frozen dead guy days.”

Image uploaded to Flickr by Zen Curmudgeon.

A father goes off to war. A scene from Apocalypse: The Second World War.

To be able to understand world history through the eyes of the men and women who have witnessed war is a unique gift, and their narratives of that time are important to our collective history. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to sit down and interview my dad’s former college professor, Professor Carver. He was a tail gunner in WWII. In a soft, trembling voice, sitting beside his wife of 50 years, he told me of his wartime experiences. It was hard to imagine the 82-year-old man sitting before me, in the heat of battle, shooting at enemy planes and evacuating injured pilots on the runway. But, as he spoke of the intense missions, the colors, the smells, and the sounds, I imagined it all in black and white images influenced by so many monochromatic documentaries.

Now, thanks to a super intensive colorizing technique, the black and white images of the Second World War are restored in color.  The distance of time implied by black and white evaporates. Restored images filmed by the men and women who experienced the war provide a greater coherence of the events that changed the world. The armies are more apparent in their colored uniforms, and the time of day is evident by the color of the sky. The bright red flames of the cities that were destroyed flash before your eyes, just as they must have flashed before Professor Carver’s eyes more than 70 years ago. The color, combined with the sound, gives each event new meaning.

Produced by Louis Vaudeville and directed by Daniel Costelle and Isabel Clarke, Apocalypse: The Second World War is an intimate look at WWII, 70 years after the war began. The resulting story, culled from more than 600 hours of footage, is narrated by Martin Sheen and offers an invaluable look into the war as seen through the lenses of those individuals who knew they had an important story to tell.

Director Daniel Costelle sums up the experience of creating the series by quoting sociologist Gaston Bouthoul: “If you want peace, know the war.” There is much to be learned from the past, and we hope that our stories inspire you to share yours. Let us know about the heroes in your life. Leave a comment below or become a fan and visit our Facebook page to share stories and images of individuals that helped change the world.

Share your story on Facebook.

Maurizio Seracini examines a fresco thought be be hiding clues to a missing Da Vinci mural.

Our recent show, The Da Vinci Detective documented the efforts of Maurizio Seracini, a controversial scientist on the trail of a fascinating unsolved mystery. For 30 years he has searched for a lost Leonardo Da Vinci mural unseen since the 1540s.  In just a few weeks, he could be one step closer to an amazing discovery.

The missing Da Vinci mural, “The Battle of Anghiari,” is quite large and said to be three times the width of “The Last Supper.”  How can a mural that large be hidden?  Seracini believes the mural is hidden underneath a more recent fresco, behind a wall in the Hall of the 500, the Palazzo Vecchio’s grand ceremonial chamber in Florence, Italy.

With dogged determination Seracini has employed various scientific techniques to analyze the structure of the Hall of the 500. He is encouraged by the message “cerca trova” (seek and you shall find), written on the current fresco in the Palazzo Vecchio. Seracini is anxiously awaiting the opportunity to analyze a second wall he has discovered, hidden in the Hall of the 500.

Once he navigates his way through a few more political and bureaucratic obstacles he will finally be able to test his theory. Florence’s new mayor, Matteo Renzi says they’re just a few weeks away from approving the process.  We’re on the edge of our seats waiting for the next update.

Watch the clip below to see how the two little words “cerca trova” encouraged Seracini to keep looking for the missing mural despite challenges and setbacks.

Check out The Da Vinci Detective for more clips and information about Seracini.

(Photo of Embracing Hope Design. Let us know, who would you most want to see photographed wearing the Hope Diamond in its temporary new setting?)

The election is over, but now the delicate work begins. In a high security vault-like workshop, Harry Winton’s most expert jewelers are just beginning to turn the winning design into a wearable – and immeasurably valuable! – piece of covetable jewelry.

Their job won’t be easy. The lustrous platinum ribbons that define Embracing Hope’s style appear simple in structure. But the jewelers have warned us that the process they’ll follow to craft the smooth grace of Galli’s innovative design will be anything but simple!

It will take them weeks just to shape rigid platinum strips into the lithe look of curving ribbons. Once they’ve plied the platinum into place, they’ll then painstakingly select and cut only the most perfect baguettes to cradle the big blue Hope in its new setting. Check back here soon for more inside scoop on how Harry Winston’s top jewelers select, cut and set diamonds.
While Winston’s best carefully craft the new setting, the Hope will be on display au naturale in its usual spot on the second floor of the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum. Hurry to the Mall! This may be your only chance to catch a glimpse of the cursed Hope in all its natural beauty unadorned by any setting – traditional or new.

April 2010 will be your first chance to see the Hope in its new setting. The Embracing Hope design will make its debut during the Smithsonian Channel’s MYSTERY OF THE HOPE DIAMOND.

Almost 100 years will have passed since the iconic Hope’s setting was last altered — but purists, don’t despair! Embracing Hope is just a passing new style for the world’s most legendary gem. The Hope Diamond will return to its familiar and more traditional setting after a few months on display wearing its updated look.

Will all the commotion surrounding the Hope stir up a new chapter in the tale of the diamond’s legendary curse? Let us know what you think. Who would you most want to see photographed wearing the Hope Diamond in its temporary setting? In its classic setting?

“Soul of a People” is rolling into a town near you. Keep an eye out for events that may be happening in your hometown. Photo courtesy of Spark Media.

The Great Depression was at time of unparalleled national crisis; as millions of Americans faced unemployment, vanishing life savings, banks foreclosing on homes and feeling a general loss of hope, they turned to a newly elected President to lead them out of this turbulent time. Sounds eerily like today’s economic situation.

But the Great Depression was also a time that created a unique opportunity to capture the essence of America. “Soul of A People” explores one of the most controversial public assistance programs of the Great Depression, The Federal Writers Project.

One of four arts programs under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Project employed thousands of unemployed writers, including Richard Wright, Zora Neale Hurston, Jim Thompson and John Cheever. Professional and amateur writers alike, fanned out across America to interview its citizens, and produce a portrait of the USA from the ground up in a series of state travel guides. They captured a unique portrait of 1930’s Americana. But what began as a program to create guidebooks for every state ended up igniting a storm of controversy when writers sought out not only the triumphs of America, but also its tragedies.

In conjunction with the documentary, libraries across the country are exploring the rich histories recorded by the WPA.  Reviving the writings and recordings of authors long since past and rediscovering cultural history in their own hometown.  Many libraries will feature special screenings of the documentary. Click Here to find an event near you.

Librarian Janet Stewart said, “You get a real sense of what that time was like, and I don’t think you can come away from the documentary without feeling a sense of pride with the people, the country, and the talent.” Stewart will be participating in events at Clark Memorial Library at Shawnee State University.

Kansas University, Wadsworth Public Library,  and many other libraries across the country will be participating. Let us know if you attend one of the events. We would love to hear your feedback.

Designers at Harry Winston have created three new settings for the Hope Diamond. It’s up to the public to choose the winning design.

The three new designs are stylish, they’re fancy, they’re modern and stunning…but it’s up to you to decide which setting will make the Hope Diamond shine. Since Harry Winston donated the striking gem to the Smithsonian, he was essentially donating the big, blue beauty to the American public. Therefore, it’s only fitting that America decide the new setting.  We’ve already chosen our favorite; leave a comment below and let us know which design is your favorite and why it should win. Or, do you think the Hope is perfect just the way it is? How do you think these new designs compare with the historic setting?

CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE. VOTING ENDS SEPTEMBER 7TH.

Once the votes are collected, the winner will be announced and jewelers from Harry Winston will begin creating the new piece. While the new setting is in production, the Hope will be displayed au naturale, out of its historic setting, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Once the new design is complete, the Hope will slip into it’s new temporary setting and be placed on display for a limited time. That’s right, temporary. We’re not trying to change history here, just a little sparkling celebration.

In the buff. While awaiting it’s new temporary design, the Hope Diamond will be displayed out of it’s setting.

We’re well aware of the infamous Hope Diamond curse and agree that the gem should return to its iconic historic setting.  Our film crews are busy documenting the whole history of the Hope Diamond in an upcoming documentary scheduled to air in spring of 2010. Along the way we’ve collected stories of curses and the tragic tale of the Hope’s most famous owner, Evalyn Walsh McLean. If the Hope truly was the cause of all her troubles, maybe we shouldn’t tempt the fates. What do you think? Will all of this excitement stir up the curse of the Hope Diamond!?!

The Smithsonian Channel has been working with Taylor and Spark Media to produce a documentary based on Taylor’s book. His meticulous research brought to life a cast of first time writers and a rich history that contains frightening parallels to our current economic state. Now Smithsonian Channel is bringing the story of the WPA to life on HD television. Hear the origins of  “Soul of a People” in this interview with author David Taylor.

David Taylor, author of Soul of a People: The WPA Writers’ Project Uncovers Depression America.

Show Notes: (below are time codes for the interview in case you want to listen to a particular topic)

00.10 – A brief description of the book Soul of a People.
00.55 – How David first stumbled upon the WPA State Guides.
02.04 – Where can you find the WPA books? You’re local library!
02.55 – A colorful cast of writers contributed to the WPA state guides.
04.13 – Writing for the WPA.
05.53 – The old State guides can still lead you to treasures off the beaten path.
07.17 – Recipes along the road.
08.36 – What if the WPA guidebooks were written now?
09.40 - The future of recording life histories, blog, Facebook or novel?
11.13 – David Taylor on why storytelling is important.

From local foods to modern day travels to Facebook, these are a few of the highlights of my conversation with David Taylor:

GB: A few of these guides contain recipes, even something as personal as a family recipe. Do you feel like you can still find those unique aspects of the culture or is that sort of lost?

DT:  I think in a lot of places you can still find some versions of those recipes you might have to go off the beaten path. For example there’s a WPA guide to Route 1, Highway 1, up and down the East coast from Maine to Florida. There is no more homogenized or commercial route at least in the mid-Atlantic region. But in that guide you do find descriptions of Maryland crabs and seafood there that you can still find. If you go to family run restaurants between here and Baltimore you find those recipes are still used. I was using the North Carolina guide a few months ago and they have good descriptions of not just a range of BBQ styles you can find but other dishes that kind of take you into pockets of regional cuisine that are still there, but you might not know to ask until you still read about it.

GB: That leads me to think so many people blog and use Facebook and we feel like we have so much communication. We hear people’s stories all the time in little snippets.  Like the writers guides told life histories, I feel that we’re constantly broadcasting our life histories now. Do you think that changes literature or has an effect on the life histories that we record in books now?

DT: That’s another fascinating question cause I think it means we have more permutations of how we tell our stories now. Sometimes I think that the long forms of stories are falling out of exercise with the short bursts of podcasts and blog entries. But often people use those to put together a longer account, whether it’s their time in Iraq or their travels across the country, or whatever. They use those as building blocks to tell longer stories about their experience. So, I’m not sure what’s being lost but I think there are new forms being gained. Just like the way in the 30’s, they thought a lot of these stories were being lost but they were also using new technology like field recording machines to capture, maybe even in three minute intervals, the songs that people sang or the stories that people told.

Learn more about Soul of a People, scheduled to premiere Labor Day Weekend.